Screen-shovel.



. R. B. CLEMENT.

SCREEN SHOVEL.

APPLICATION FILED APR-.17, 190a;

Patented Apr. 6, 1909;

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ROBERT B. CLEMENT, OF ORAYNE, KENTUCKY, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD TO A, E. BROWN AND ONE-THIRD TO J. F. DORROH, OF ORAYNE, KENTUCKY.

SCREEN-SHOVEL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 6, 1909.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, ROBERT B. CLEMENT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Crayne, in the county of. Crittenden and State of Kentucky, have invented new and useful Improvements in Screen-Shovels, of which the following is a specification.

My invention has relation to cinder sifting shovels, and it consists in the construction and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the claim.

In the accompanying drawing illustrating the invention :Figure 1 is a perspective view of a screen shovel embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a cross-section of the same. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail View showing the manner of forming the bars.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral 1 designates the body of the shovel, comprising a bottom 2, side walls or flanges 3, and a rear wall or flange 4, from which latter extends a handle 5 which may be of any preferred form or construction.

In accordance with my invention, the bottom 2 of the shovel body is grated, said bottom being formed, as shown, with a longitudinal series of slots 6 and bars or tines 7, arranged in alternation across the surface of said bottom.

In the production of the slots and bars or tines the bottom of the shovel, which is primarily formed of a solid body or plate of sheet metal, is longitudinally slotted on parallel lines, and then the free edges of the metal on opposite sides of the slits are forced downward into perpendicular planes and brought flat together in contact with each other to form the bars, each of which is thus composed of two thicknesses of the metal presenting straight smooth top edges and sides and leaving the sifting slots between them.

The slots and bars are of less length than the bottom 2 so as to leave intact cross strips 8 and 9 at the front and rear of the latter, whereby the grated surface of the bottom is connected with the side and rear walls and the bars joined at their ends, the strip 8 also forming an uninterrupted scraping edge by which the blade may be more conveniently introduced beneath the coal and ashes to take up the same in a cleanly manner.

it will be observed that the formation of the bars of folded portions of the sheet metal produces a construction which is of maximum strength, and which leaves the bars devoid of surfaces on which particles of coal may cling and choke the slots.

From the foregoing description, it will be understood that the shovel may be employed for taking up waste coal from the hearth or pit of a fireplace or open grate for the purpose of replacin the same within the grate, and that in such operation the coal will be separated from the ashes and other foreign particles which will drop down through the grated bottom, thus obviating the necessity of screening the entire body of ashes for the recovery of the coal.

The improved screen shovel may also be employed for any of the other purposes hereinbefore set forth.

Having thus fully described the invention, what is claimed as new is A cinder-sifting shovel having a handle and blade formed of sheet metal, the sifting portion bein formed by parallel longitudinal slits the free edges so formed being forced downwardly in pairs and brought flatly into mutual contact to form bars rigid in planes perpendicular to the plane of the blade and the folds forming smooth straight top edges and smooth sides, leaving sifting spaces between said bars.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ROBERT B. CLEMENT.

Witnesses:

T. ATonIsoN FRAZER, H. K. Woons. 

